Joy of Eid to remain elusive for Lalmonirhat char people

Eid-ul-Fitr will hardly bring any joy for thousands of people in char villages of the Teesta and Dharla river basin areas of five upazilas under the district this year, as the people, mostly dependent on farm work, are passing hard days amid unemployment due to floods and river erosion.

Many of the char people are selling their labour in advance and borrowing money from local moneylenders to arrange daily meals for the family, the sufferers said during this correspondent's visit to different villages.

"We are now struggling for our daily food and not in a position to spend extra money for observing Eid," said Aftab Hossain, 55, a farmer of Teesta River char Narsingh in Aditmari upazila.

"Our two grandsons are demanding new dresses, but we cannot afford," said his wife Jolekha Begum, 47.

"Our three kids want new dresses on the occasion of the Eid, but we are too helpless. During this period in last year, I and my husband earned Tk 500 to 600 daily by working in the field, but we are now jobless due to flood and erosion," said Halima Begum, 38, wife of Taherul Islam at Teesta char village Isorkul in Kaliganj upazila.

Mahir Ali, 50, a farmer at Dharla River char Boalmari of Kulaghat union in Lalmonirhat Sadar, said he gets 10 kg rice against one VGF card, but it is too insufficient for their five-member family.

"It will be difficult for me to buy vermicelli and milk for the Eid, let alone buy new dresses for our children," he said.

Scantily clad children of the poverty stricken area are not likely to know what the joy of getting new dresses on the occasion is. PHOTO: STAR

There are around 50 thousand people of 12 thousand families living at 90 char villages in Teesta and Dharla river basin areas of five upazilas in the district, and they are dependent on farm work.

The government has distributed one lakh and five thousand VGF (Vulnerable Group Feeding) cards among needy families at 45 unions and two municipalities of five upazilas in the district to observe Eid-ul-Fitr.

Each of the VGF card holders gets 10 kg of rice, said sources of District Relief and Rehabilitation Office.